A Husband's Promise
by Eclaireur
Summary: This story explains why Caje wears a wedding ring and also a pinky ring. The pinky ring belonged to his wife, who died giving birth to their daughter. The baby die's 1 week later. Long enough for Caje to have bonded with his daughter. This also helps explain Caje's deep attachment to the orphaned children of France. His wife's name was Mireille-pronounced-Meer-ray.(1st story Ever!)


A Husband's Promise

by

Éclaireur

(petite_soeur)

This is going to be a story explaining why Caje wears a wedding ring and also a pinky ring. The pinky ring belonged to his wife, who died giving birth to their daughter. The baby die's 1 week later. Long enough for Caje to have bonded with his daughter. This also helps explain Caje's deep attachment to the orphaned children of France.

His wife's name was Mireille...pronounced...Meer-ray.

Sent to secure a farm house that was recently abandoned by the Germans, Caje, first platoons scout, came jogging back from being on point to report to Sergeant "Chip" Saunders. Sergeant Saunders tells Doc, the company's medic and Kirby, their BAR man and resident goldbrick, to take 5 while he talks to Caje. The two privates take a seat over by a tree were, after making sure he and his BAR are in a comfortable position, Kirby takes out a cigarette and his lighter, puts the cigarette in his mouth and lights it. As he's putting the lighter back into his pocket, he looks over to were Caje and the Sarge are still talking.

After Kirby manages to take a few long drags, the Sarge turns around and says

"OK, on your feet, breaks over."

"Oh come on Sarge, I just lit this." Kirby complains, as he wiggles the cigarette in the air dramatically "You said 5 minutes, its barely been 2."

"Yep...your right, I did say 5 minutes. Now I'm saying...on your feet, breaks over." Kirby reluctantly throws down his cigarette and hops up to his feet. Saunders, shaking his tangled mess of blond hair, tries again "The farmhouse is just over the ridge, past a grove of trees. Report is, the krauts have pulled back, but there may be stragglers. Keep your eyes open. Caje...take the point. Move out."

As Caje turns to leave, the sun catches the gold band on his left hand. The reflection of the sun hitting the ring draws Kirby's attention. "Hey Doc, did ya see that?" Kirby turns around suddenly and Doc, not expecting it, runs face first, right into the man's BAR "Hey, watch where you're going Doc!"

Face to face with Kirby now, Doc's hands fly up to his already swelling nose. As he pulls his hand away and sees the blood, he snaps back at him, "What da ya mean, watch where I'M going?...you ran into me!"

"Oh, yeah, sorry Doc, ya OK?" Not really caring to wait for a reply, Kirby continues "But hey...did ya see it? Did ya see the ring on Caje's finger?"

"Kirby" Doc's voice sounding like he has a stuffy nose as he's pinching it to try and stop the bleeding, answers "we've all seen the ring."

"Yeah, yeah I know Doc, but how come no ones asked him about it? Aren't ya just the least bit curious? What da ya think it's all about? He wears another gold band on his little finger, on his right hand. Why da ya suppose he does that? Huh? Da ya think he's married? Hey Sarge, what do you think? Da ya think ol Caje is a married man?"

"Kirby...I think its none of our business if Caje is married or not. That's what I think. Now shut up and move out."

"But Sarge," Kirby, not taking the noncoms advice, continues to whine

"Kirby, that was an order, not a request...now move out."

"K Sarge, but ya know what Doc?" as their BAR man turns his attention back to the hapless medic "I'm gonna ask him."

"You do that Kirby" Doc, looking back at Kirby, blood smeared across his injured nose, "and I bet ya dollars to doughnuts you'll be the one wiping the the blood off his nose next."

"Yeah, maybe, but at least I'll get an answer, don't ya think?"

Doc just shook his head "Truthfully, I don't think it's any of our business. Now let it rest."

Suddenly, the quiet is broken by the sound of a single gun shot, "Hit it!" Sergeant Saunders yells back toward the two men trailing him. Up ahead, he could just make out the form of his scout, lying face down in the dirt. Doc, also seeing him, starts to crawl toward the unmoving man. "Stay put Doc!"

"Kirby..." Pointing over to the left, the Sarge signals Kirby to circle around back while he keeps the sniper busy. Kirby, nodding his understanding, moves off to his left to the cover of an uprooted tree. Laying down flat, he brings up the BAR and draws a bead on the man concealed in the trees up ahead. The sound of Kirby's Browning Automatic Rifle will be the last thing the German hiding in ambush will hear, as the power of the BAR puts an end to the snipers deadly task. As the man falls from the tree, Sergeant Saunders again reminds the medic to stay down. Frustrated, and anxious to get to the injured man, Doc reluctantly complies with the sergeants orders.

"Kirby, check it out." Kirby cautiously gets up while the sergeant gives him cover.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kirby hollers "Its all clear Sarge." With that said, Kirby is the first to reach his best friends side. As he kneels down by Caje, Kirby is aware of an expanding pool of blood already forming under him. Gently, Kirby turns the Cajun over, then sits himself all the way down on the ground beside him.

As Doc approaches, he hears the BAR man softly talking "You're OK buddy, just take it easy...here comes Doc now, you'll see...you're gonna be fine." Kirby fearfully glances up as Doc approaches. He can see by the expression on the medics face that things may not be "OK". Doc, getting down on his knees on the other side of Caje, is glad at least to see that the wounded mans eyes are open...that's a good sign. At least he's still conscious. But the bleeding...he's got to stop the bleeding!

"Kirby, I'm going to need your help here. I've got to get this bleeding under control, but more important..." He looks at Kirby, then down at Caje "More important here Caje, ya got to stay with me...do you hear me? I need ya to stay awake. You're bleeding pretty bad and I'm gonna have to keep the presser on until we get some help here, but ya have to stay awake. Caje...do you understand?" Caje's eyes are open, but unfocused, just staring.

"Caje...Caje...do ya hear me?" Doc raises his voice and tries again. "Caje?" Caje, not fully aware yet as to what has happened, blinks a couple of times then nodes his head to let Doc know that he understands.

Doc looks up at Sergeant Saunders "Sarge, we got to get him to a hospital... We ain't to far out, right?"

"No Doc, were not to far out. I'll call in. Kirby...radio." Kirby peels the radio off his back and hands it to the Sarge without taking his eyes off his friend.

The Sarge takes it and starts to transmit "King Two...this is White Rook, over...King Two...this is White Rook...over." The radio crackles to life "White Rook here...King Two, over". "White Rook, farmhouse secure...one casualty...need transport...over."

Before the Sarge has a chance to sign out Doc adds "Tell them they need to hurry..." As Doc starts to turn his full attention back to Caje, bending over him, keeping the presser on, trying to stop the bleeding, he looks up at Saunders and slightly shakes his head. The Sarge, staring down at his injured scout, slowly starts to comprehend what that small shake of Docs head meant. Visually upset by Doc's gesture, he takes off his helmet, lets it drop, then sinks down beside Kirby and Doc to wait for the transport, praying silently to himself that it makes it in time.

Kirby, still trying to give Caje reassurance, looks down at his friend and continues to talk, "Your OK buddy...its really just a scratch."

Caje, eyes still unfocused, tries to looks up at his friend, his lips barley moving...

"Kirby...I'm dying..." It was a statement. Not from a scared man who was afraid of dying, but from a brave man, who knew he was...that's what scared Kirby the most. The words came out so softly Kirby wasn't sure if he heard him right.

"What buddy? What did you say?...No...no you're not...You're going to be fine. You're not dying...YOU'RE NOT! You gotta promise me you won't give up...you gotta promise me you'll keep fighting!" Kirby, who never seems to stop talking, was suddenly at a loss for words. Tears started to form in his eyes and he could barely breathe. Again he repeats, softer now..."no...no...you're not dying."

Doc, knowing fully well that he might be fighting a losing battle in trying to stop the hemorrhaging of the critically injured man, mouths to Kirby..."Keep him talking." Kirby, after wiping his eyes with the back of his shirt sleeve, reaches down to were Caje's hands are and gently picks them up in his.

Feeling the gold bands on the scouts long slender fingers he asks "Caje...hey Caje...how come ya never told your ol buddy Kirby here that you're a married man, huh? Come on buddy, we've all seen your ring, how come ya never talk about it? Who's the lucky girl...huh buddy?"

Caje looks up at Kirby. His eyes start to mist over. Kirby can't help but notice the pain on the Cajun's face. But he could see, it wasn't just the physical pain he was enduring now, it was something more. It was the mental pain of trying to answer Kirby's question. As the injured man looks into his best friends eyes, he knew he needed to tell him. This man is the only person he has allowed to get close. He never wanted to let anyone, ever, get close again...not after Theò...no...but they are close and he will understand. He needs to tell him before it is to late. This man will understand why he could never talk about them before.

"Kirby...my wife..." Caje begins

"Yeah Caje, tell me about your wife. What's her name buddy?"

"Her name was Mireille, Kirby."

Kirby gives Doc a quick glance..."was?" Even before he asked, he new what the answer to he's next question was going to be. "You not married any more buddy?"

"Non...Oui... Leur passé, leur partis toris les deux..."

Kirby, gently twisting Caje's wedding band around and around while still holding his hands, softly reminds him "Hey pal...ya gotta speak English...remember? Ol Kirby here don't understand if ya don't speak English...k pal?"

Caje looks into the mans eyes and gives him a faint smile. "K pal...I'll try...Their past, their both gone."

Kirby, looking down at Caje, shakes his head in puzzlement, "What da ya mean...both gone...who's gone?"

Caje, letting his mind drift off remembering the past, let's his eyes close...strange, he starts to think to himself...nothing hurts, I don't understand why nothing hurts. "Mireille, où étais-tu? Où est Emilie?"

"Caje...open your eyes! Come on buddy...Doc told ya...ya gotta stay awake, understand? Come on Caje...Wake Up!"

The Cajun slowly opens his eyes and protests "I'm awake Kirby...just resting...its OK...I'm awake..."

Kirby, not fallen for the snow job...continues to make him talk. "Mireille huh? Is that your wife's name? How'd you two meet? Who's Emilie? Come on buddy...talk to me." Caje, looking past Kirby tries to tell his story...

"School...college...we met in college...in Canada...I meet her my senior year...in an art class." The scout smiles up at Kirby as he's remembering.

Kirby gives him a little laugh "You an "art teest" I can't see it!" His gentle ribbing helps Caje to continue his story.

"Me? Non...no...I'm no artist, but Mireille, she was an artist!" Caje starts to cough. Racked with pain, he stops talking and closes his eyes.

Kirby gently squeezes his hand and repeats "You met her your senior year?...Is that right? How...tell me how?"

Caje opens his eyes. Tries to take a deep breath "Can't Kirby, can't breath!"

Panic stricken, Kirby turns to Doc "Doc, he can't breath, ya gotta help him!"

Doc, still vainly trying to slow the bleeding down, calmly tells the scout "Caje, you can breath, it just feels like you can't cause I'm pushing so hard. I'm sorry, I can't let up. Take slow, shallow breaths, OK? Your going to be alright, but I have to keep the pressure on, understand?"

Knowing that Doc is not telling him the whole truth, the injured man replies "Oui...Je suis désolé...I'm sorry."

Kirby tries to get him to talk some more..."Come on buddy...talk to me...tell me how you met."

Caje, realizing why Kirby is making him talk, continues "I needed one more class to graduate. Just a credit class,...classe facile...easy class. Mireille...she was an art major...junior year. I thought she was coincé...stuck-up. She didn't like me either, but we were made to work together on a project. Started talking...bonne fille...good girl."

As he's struggling to talk, Kirby can feel his friend start to tremble "Doc?" "Come on Caje, hang in there!"

Again Doc mouths to Kirby. This time the word "shock".

Caje again looks up past his friend. His voice, no more then a whisper now. "Kirby?"

"Yeah pal, I'm right here." Kirby lowers his head closer to the scout, trying hard to hear every word.

"This ring...it's Mireille's."

"I know buddy."

Caje, desperate now to finish his story, pushes on. "We had a daughter...Emilie...trop peu, à petite...to little, to small. They couldn't stop the bleeding, Mireille...made me promise, Kirby...she made me promise."

Kirby, feeling his best friend slipping away, continues to try and keep him awake.

"What did she make you promise buddy?"

"She made me promise to stay here. I just wanted to go with them Kirby, but she made me promise...if I went, I couldn't be with them. Mortal sin to take your life. Je lui ai promis...I promised her...I'd stay."

Kirby glances up at Doc and Sarge with a look of desperation "Where's the ambulance Sarge...where's the damn ambulance?"

Sarge, not able to give him the answer Kirby needs to hear, stands up and turns away.

As Kirby turns his attention back to his closest friend, he notices the brightness in the Cajun's eyes has dimmed. Caje looks up at Kirby and whispers,

"Mon Ami" then closes his eyes...very slowly. Doc, tears rolling down his face, not able to hide his sorrow, looks up at Kirby and shakes his head.

"NO...NO!...Caje, wake up...you promised. Ya can't leave me...damn-it buddy."

Doc releases the pressure, knowing it's no longer helping to keep their friend alive. Sarge extends his hand to give Doc a help up.

Kirby, still holding Caje's hands, puts his head down and silently starts to cry. This can't be happening...not now. Not to Caje. As Kirby gives in to his grief, a faint wind picks up. Kirby's tears freely fall on his best friends hands, still clutched in his, making the sun glisten off the now wet gold wedding bands. Doc and Sarge can hear the shattered man praying.

"Oh God, God please, please don't take him. Damn-it Caje, you made a promise to your wife, and I'm hold-en ya to it!" A soft breeze suddenly touches Kirby's cheek. Kirby feels a slight movement in his hands. Startled, he opens his eyes and looks down at his fallen friend. Caje's eyes are open again and there's a look of serenity on his face. He calmly whispers...

"Elle dit...que je ne peux pas aller encore..."

"Buddy...I thought...I thought...DOC!" Kirby, unable to control his emotions, screams out to the medic, "Doc he's still here!" Doc, hearing Kirby call out, runs back.

Seeing his patient still alive, Doc stammers...

"Damn Caje!...Thank God!...Thank God!" Just then, Doc looks up and sees the transport truck has finally arrived. And to everyone's relief and amazement, they still have a patient. Doc doesn't waste a minute. "Get that stretcher over here, NOW!"

After helping the transport driver load Caje into the back of the ambulance, Doc walks over to stand by Kirby and Saunders.

"All we can do now is Pray...it's out of our hands." Kirby, watching the ambulance pull away replies,

"He'll be OK Doc..." As the wind lightly "kisses" the privates cheek again, he adds

"He'll keep his Promise!"

The End


End file.
